El Vaquero Tequila
El Vaquero is a top shelf tequila that is made of 100% pure agave. This would be found in a tequila connoisseur’s collection. The bottle is simple and sophisticated to show that the brand as well as taste are top tier.
Mas Tequila!
The Challenge
The challenge for this project is to create a brand as well as its packaging. The brand needs to be aimed at an audience who likes the finer things, doesn’t mind spending a few extra dollars. The logo and packaging need to feel expensive.
Main Objectives
Branding
Branding is important for a top shelf tequila. The logo and bottle need to show that this tequila has the quality and taste that the consumer is paying for.
Packaging
Packaging can often be an experience for the consumer. We say not to judge a book by its cover but most people do. If the packaging isn’t well designed they might not be drawn in to purchase the item.
Audience
Having a specific target audience you have to make smart design decisions that will make an impact. Knowing your consumer is key. This brand is designed with the buyer in mind.
Initial Direction
The initial direction for El Vaquero was heavily inspired by Casa Migos which is George Clooney’s tequila brand. I really love the simplicity of the label, logo and the overall raw feel. Nothing extra to overpower the design.
Focusing on the typefaces to give off the richness of the brand with the support of small illustrations to add a unique twist. This brand has two lines of tequila, a Reposado and a Blanco tequila . Having two different tequilas gave me the opportunity to play with color to show a variance in the types of tequilas.
Moodboard and Sketches
First Digital Drafts
The first round of digital drafts I kept the focus on different typefaces to try and achieve the raw feeling I wanted. I combined simple illustrations to help elevate the logo, and to give it more personality.
Second Digital Drafts
After fine tuning my digital drafts I wanted to go with the handwritten typeface style and lasso connected. I felt like this best described the brand I was creating.
Final Solutions
Creating my second round of digital drafts made me feel like the design could be pushed further. I wanted something more expensive and more sophisticated. I explored a looser handwritten type and supporting typefaces. I changed the overall look of the tequila bottle to something that was matte. The matte style bottle would stand out on the shelf next to all glass. This was a perfect opportunity to also change the color of the bottle themselves to push the vision for the two different tequilas.
Reflection
I really enjoyed designing this brand and packaging. It’s great to look back at where I first started with the designs and to see where I finished. I do think there can be improvements, but I am pleased with how far this project has come and can’t wait to see how far I can take it in the future.